Nesting the Arts Project has begun and our Virtual Artist in Resident, Lovie Pignata, did a wonderful job during our first workshop! On October 21st, she presented parents with a simple activity, sure to be easy to replicate at home, with their families. The activity was called Secret or Hidden Message Paintings. Parents were asked to create secret messages on watercolor white paper using white oil pastels. Each parent created a few hidden messages. We collected all the papers, shuffled them and then distributed to all, randomly. Now was time to reveal the secret messages they have chosen by painting the paper over with watercolor paint. Participants created great color designs and had great fun discovering the secret messages written by other participants. Soon they were all trying to guess who wrote them. This activity is a wonderful way to incorporate art into your family time at home and all parents were pleased to see how it can be adapted to do with children of all ages. You can replicate this at home too! Lovie provided us with a list of materials and instructions. Enjoy with your family and bring art to your household with BxArts FactoryWe would love to thank Wonderfully Made, Frances and Richard Rivera for hosting this amazing project. We love collaborating with them and look forward to the second workshop on November 4th. To follow along, watch videos and enjoy exclusive content join our Facebook Group: Virtual Residency: Nesting the Arts Projects by BxArts Factory​Secret Message PaintingsSecret Message Paintings are great for any age or art experience level. Messages are written or drawn with white pastel on white paper and the hidden images are revealed by painting the paper. The techniques are simple but the process makes it an engaging activity with an element of surprise.

​Supplies: white crayons or white oil pastels, watercolor paper, watercolor paints, brushes, clipboards Instructions: White crayons or oil pastels are used for drawing on the watercolor paper. Participants can write a message using words, draw, use stencils or scribble using the crayons on watercolor paper. Each participant should make several quick pages with messages. All the papers are shuffled and dealt like cards to each participant until there are none left. The 'secret message' papers are painted over with watercolor paints. The painting part of the exercise is not about any technique, just covering the page and seeing the 'secret message' that is revealed when the wax crayon resists the paint.

BxArts Factory is proud to introduce to you our very first Artist in Virtual Residence, Lovie Pignata. We received excellent proposals for the Nesting the Arts Project, and after a very competitive review, we selected hers for its simplicity and family friendly activities.Together with Wonderfully Made we will begin this unique initiative on October 21st. Our very first Nesting the Arts Project (NAP) will run for two months and will connect the participating parents with their artistic side.

NAP is a unique initiative created by BxArts Factory to nurture the use of art at home. We’ve seen the impact of the Arts, its influence on creativity, empowerment, development of confidence and unification between generations. It's also known to improve communication and emotional connection among family members. Through a series of workshops, we will bring parents and children together to create art. Our hope for the program is to spark parent’s desire to nest the arts as part of their parenting legacy.

Pignata is a native of New York City and has been a resident of the Bronx since 2001.

Lovie Pignata creates her works by using the spaces around her subject to develop the composition through pattern and light, often using elements of shadows and reflections, a theme most apparent in her photos. Lovie works in a variety of mediums to achieve the desired end result for her work. She regularly combines photography, collage, cut paper, acrylic paint and pen and ink.

Lovie studied undergraduate fine art, majoring in sculpture, at Pratt Institute. She has also been a participant in the Botanical Drawing program at the New York Botanical Garden, as well as advanced figure drawing at the Art Student League of New York. Lovie also instructed the first outdoor drawing classes at Van Cortlandt Park thorough the Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy in 2014.